In the beginning of October, the Resident Councils from Hultquist Place Assisted Living Program and Lutheran Home and Rehabilitation Center hosted a sub sandwich fundraiser with the help of Tasta Pizza in Falconer to raise money for breast cancer awareness. The resident groups sold 60 sub sandwiches to staff, residents, and visitors with $200 being donated to the WCA Foundation in honor of the Links Pink 5K.
Employees at Hultquist Place Assisted Living Program on the Lutheran Campus in Jamestown celebrated National Assisted Living Week from September 8-14. During the festivities, Jenny Johnson, LPN, was recognized as Direct Care Employee of the Year and Stephanie Hetrick, Facility Coordinator, was recognized as Indirect Care Employee of the Year at a special luncheon surrounded by residents and colleagues.
“We’re blessed beyond belief to have such a compassionate and dedicated group of people working with our residents every day,” said Kathy Lynch, Administrator of Hultquist Place. “Jenny and Stephanie really stood out this year and we want to recognize them for going above and beyond,” said Lynch. Staff at Hultquist Place provide a wide range of services for their residents including meal preparation, housekeeping, grounds maintenance, nursing, social work, on-campus activities, off-campus field trips, and more.
Jenny Johnson, LPN, has worked at Hultquist Place since 2017. Jenny was recognized for her strong communication and leadership skills, flexibility with her schedule and duties performed, her assistance with medical clinics, and being a role model for other staff. Stephanie Hetrick has been with the organization since 2011. Originally beginning her career in housekeeping, Stephanie moved up into various roles and now helps with facility maintenance and coordination and is considered a wealth of information when it comes to buildings and systems. Both employees were nominated by their peers and selected by the residents themselves.
“National Assisted Living Week is the perfect time to hold this luncheon and honor these outstanding young women,” said Tom Holt, President and CEO of Lutheran. “Not only do we know our residents are cared and provided for properly, but these ladies’ coworkers admire them and their work as well,” said Holt.
Established by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) in 1995, National Assisted Living Week provides a unique opportunity for residents, their loved ones, staff, volunteers, and the surrounding communities to recognize the role of assisted living in caring for America’s seniors and individuals with disabilities. The annual observance encourages assisted living communities around the country to offer a variety of events and activities to celebrate the individuals they serve, as well as to help educate members of the public about this distinctive aspect of long term care. Designated as a true Assisted Living Program in New York State, Hultquist Place stands out from others in the region.
“Our facility is unique in that all services provided here are included for the residents who live with us. Our residents enjoy freedom and independence when they want it or a little extra help when they need it. Plus, we’re Medicaid eligible which helps with admission for lower income folks who need safe, comfortable surroundings,” said Lynch. “Our staff make their lives easier all-around and we’re always looking to build the team around us,” she said.
To learn more about career opportunities at Lutheran, visit www.lutherancareers.org. To learn more about Hultquist Place Assisted Living Program for yourself or a loved one, visit www.jamestowninternetmarketing.com/lss or call 716-720-9610.
The Edgewood Communities have announced the dates of four community seminars in October that will highlight the changes coming to the Medicare program in 2020 during open enrollment. Janell Sluga and Tiffany Erhard from the Senior Life Matters program are hosting the informational events at the new Edgewood Commons which recently opened this summer on the Lutheran Campus in Jamestown.
The Medicare 2020 Open Enrollment Update seminars are scheduled for:
All four seminars are free and open to the public, but seating is limited at each session so RSVP is required.
“We are always excited at the response these events get each year during Medicare open enrollment,” said Janell Sluga, Geriatric Care Manager at Lutheran. “It is a busy time for us, but these events are very important to get factual, time-sensitive information in the hands of those who need it,” said Sluga. The event was expanded from three to four events this year to accommodate more schedules and people.
A key component of the events hosted by Senior Life Matters is that attendees can come with their own questions and have them answered in an unbiased way either during or after the seminars.
“There are some other Medicare related events in the community, but many of them are hosted by third-party brokers who only represent one insurance product or another. If you have a question, you may not always get the appropriate answer at those places,” said Sluga. “At our events and in our office, we focus on the person in front of us and help them make the best decisions for their life situation regardless of which product or products they choose,” said Sluga.
To register for one of the Medicare 2020 Open Enrollment Update programs, please call 716-665-8199 or visit www.jamestowninternetmarketing.com/lss to register online. All four sessions will be held inside the Edgewood Commons at 737 Falconer Street in Jamestown. Light refreshments will be provided.
The Edgewood Communities are a part of Lutheran, a Christian organization that offers a continuum of care that supports an individual’s journey through life with compassion, dignity, and respect.
Alden Smith, 94, is a resident here with us at Lutheran. He is a US Army Air Corps Veteran of 11 years having spent most of his service during WWII as an Airplane Mechanic. Alden worked primarily on B-24s, B-29s, and C-47s.
This week, the Collings Foundation brought their “Wings of Freedom” Tour to the Chautauqua County Airport with several WWII-era planes on display. One of them, a B-24 bomber named “Witchcraft”, was the same type of plane that Alden worked on during his service. In fact, of the 18,000 of them that were built, “Witchcraft” is the only combat configured B-24 in flying condition.
Alden got to take a trip to the airport with Erin, Activities Director at LHRC, to see the planes in person once more. During his time at the airport, several visitors and staff came over to thank him for his service, listened to stories from his time working on the planes, and share a lot of laughs together.
Alden was interviewed by the Robert H. Jackson Center in the spring of 2019 about his time during the service. The full interview can be viewed below.
The Collings Foundation is a nonprofit, Educational Foundation 501(c)3, founded in 1979. The purpose of the Foundation is to preserve and exhibit rare historical artifacts and to organize and support “living history” events that enable Americans to learn more about their heritage through direct participation.
The original focus of the Foundation was transportation-related events such as antique car rallies, hill climbs, carriage and sleigh rides, and a winter ice-cutting festival in the Stow, MA area. During the mid-eighties, these activities were broadened to include aviation-related events such as air shows, barnstorming, historical reunions, and joint museum displays on a nationwide level. Since 1989, a major focus of the Foundation has been the “Wings of Freedom Tour” of WWII aircrafts.
The “Wings of Freedom Tour” has two goals: to honor the sacrifices made by our veterans that allow us to enjoy our freedom; and to educate the visitors, especially younger Americans, about our national history and heritage. The Foundation encourages people to tour the planes, talk to the veterans who come to visit the aircraft, and participate in a “flight experience”. In twenty-six years, the tour has made more than 2,900 visits to airports across the United States and Alaska. While the exact number of visitors is difficult to gauge, it is estimated that between 3.5 and 4 million people see these warbirds annually.
Kids’ College, an annual summer educational experience offered for children ages 8 to 12 by Jamestown Community College, inspired participants to help several local community organizations in one of 24 sessions offered during this program.
In “Craft It Forward”, the kids devoted their time to making specialty items to donate to four local organizations: Lutheran, senior living facility; New Leash On life (NLOL), animal rescue and sanctuary; St. Susan Center, soup kitchen; and UCAN City Mission. Items made included: non-slip socks and cards for Lutheran residents; dog, cat and bird toys for NLOL; artwork and laminated placemats for St. Susan Center; and no-sew blankets for UCAN City Mission.
“This class was an amazing opportunity for our youth to give back to our community,” commented Carrie Southard, Kids’ College instructor, “the kids absolutely loved making items for our local organizations. They put much effort into each piece so there was a lot of pride when we presented the items to the recipients on the last day of class.”
Each representative shared with the kids their organization’s mission, as well as thanked them for their contributions, creativity, and generosity. Students received sunglasses from Lutheran and, as a special treat; NLOL brought a rabbit, a tortoise, a black lab puppy, and a French bulldog to meet the children.
During the first two weeks of July, the Resident Council groups from both the Hultquist Place Assisted Living Program and the Lutheran Home and Rehabilitation Center collected pre-orders from staff and resident families for sub sandwiches as a fundraiser for St. Susan’s Center in Jamestown. The sub sandwiches were made by Tasta Pizza in Falconer and were a huge hit. Over 90 subs were sold altogether and $250 was collected to donate to the center. The residents were very gracious for the show of support from the staff and community.
Surrounded by family, coworkers, and industry peers, Janell Sluga from the Senior Life Matters program at Lutheran was presented the Employee of Distinction Award from LeadingAge New York, a nonprofit representing more than 600 members and service organizations for seniors and adults throughout New York State. The presentation took place at the ribbon cutting outside the new Edgewood Commons on the Lutheran Campus in Jamestown on June 28.
“The Employee of Distinction Award is designed to provide aging services providers with the opportunity to recognize frontline staff who demonstrate a willingness to go above and beyond to improve the lives of frail elderly New Yorkers. These individuals bring a special compassion and personal commitment to their job each and every day,” said Ami Schnauber, vice president of advocacy and public policy for LeadingAge New York. “Janell has certainly demonstrated these characteristics both in her work at Lutheran and in the Jamestown community, and we are proud to recognize her considerable contributions,” said Schnauber. LeadingAge New York members employ over 150,000 professionals who serve more than 500,000 New Yorkers annually. 16 Employee of Distinction awards are given out statewide and only two of those were in the western New York region which includes Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. The awards are accompanied by a New York State Legislature resolution and vote. Janell was nominated by a fellow coworker and received three letters of recommendation on her behalf in support of the award.
Sluga is a certified Geriatric Care Manager, a member of the Aging Life Care Association, and has been with Lutheran for 18 years. She has impacted the lives of thousands of Chautauqua County residents during that time, specifically with the Senior Life Matters program. The Senior Life Matters team offers a wide range of counseling and services for adults approaching or enjoying retirement, from counseling on Medicare, Medicaid, and Long-Term Care Insurance to downsizing a home.
“Medicare and insurance counseling, public speaking engagements, weekly articles in print and online, and free public events on a wide variety of topics are just a few ways in which Janell helps seniors in our area live better, healthier, and safer lives,” said Kevin Saff, director for Lutheran Senior Housing. “After many early mornings and late nights, she still finds time for herself and her family and she is quite the celebrity at Wegmans on Tuesday mornings,” said Saff. The Senior Life Matters team counseled over 800 people during last year’s Medicare open enrollment period. The success of the program is attributed to their unbiased look at all insurance options available to their clients as opposed to that of a third party broker who is typically sponsored by or paid by a single company or provider.
“I am thrilled to receive this award and I am very proud to have been nominated for it. However, I don’t do this job looking for recognition; I do it because I love it,” said Sluga. “I love having the opportunity to help individuals with Medicare or aging into Medicare. To teach my clients and help them understand all of their insurance options and to work with them through their decision making process is rewarding in and of itself. This is an important part of their lives that myself and others get to be involved in,” she said.
The Senior Life Matters program is located at 737 Falconer Street inside the new Edgewood Commons, now part of the Edgewood Communities at Lutheran. To learn more about the program or for housing availability in the Edgewood Communities, call 716-665-8197 or visit www.jamestowninternetmarketing.com/lss.
Located in Jamestown, New York, Lutheran’s continuum of care supports an individual’s journey through life with compassion, dignity and respect.
Lutheran Foster Grandparents are serving as “Summer Warriors” by participating in the Jamestown Public Schools Summer LEAP (Learning Enrichment Academic Progress) Program at area elementary schools. No time off for this crew! Much can be conquered and accomplished with extra hands and hearts are in the classroom.
Seated front and center is Grandma Jeannette grasping the Foster Grandparent Program sign. First row is Grandma Sally, Grandma Sandy, Grandma Joann, Grandma Adrianne, Grandma Connie, and Grandma Karen. In the back row is Grandma Bev and Grandpa David – to the right is Amanda Gesing, Grants and Community Liaison – Jamestown Public Schools.
Months of planning, construction, and hard work have finally paid off. We are proud to welcome the community to the first public Open House of the NEW Edgewood Commons, now part of the Edgewood Communities at Lutheran!
On Saturday, June 29, we invite you to join us at your leisure for an in-depth tour of our newest space! The building will be open to the public between 10 am and 2 pm that day. The Edgewood Commons offers a new way for residents on our campus to enjoy a life well lived, every day!
Our senior housing staff will be on-hand that day to show you around, answer questions you may have, and welcome you to their new home! Hope you can join us!
Interactive Health, a national provider of workplace health and wellness programming, recently recognized Lutheran in Jamestown as one of their 2018 Healthiest Companies in America. Lutheran was one of 151 companies recognized out of more than 1,500 candidates to receive the award. Companies receiving the award demonstrate an investment in the health and wellbeing of their employees year-round.
“We’re very proud of where our company ranks with Interactive Health and stand by our commitment to the health of our employees,” said Tom Holt, president and CEO. “Our leadership team along with direct feedback from our employees help guide our healthcare decisions each year,” said Holt.
To be recognized, awardees must reach or exceed a 70 percent participation rate in their workplace wellness programming and their workforce’s overall health risk must be low based on the results of an annual health evaluation and screening. These companies generally see higher productivity, lower medical costs, fewer workers’ compensation and disability claims, and reduced absenteeism. Along with Lutheran, the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities and ten other recipients received the award in all of New York State.
“Through personalized digital tools, coaching, wellness challenges, up-to-date medical news, and a customized annual report on how healthy we are as a collective group, Interactive Health has helped to encourage healthier behavior and habits within our organization,” said Holt. In 2018, 76% of Lutheran’s eligible employees participated in the company’s annual health evaluation and screening and everyone who participated felt it was of value to them. 86% of those respondents met their personal health goals as a result. As a company, Lutheran moved from “moderate risk” in 2017 to “low risk” in 2018 which earned their first Healthiest Companies in America recognition.
To learn more about employment opportunities at Lutheran, visit www.jamestowninternetmarketing.com/lss for a list of current openings or call 716-665-4905 to speak with Human Resources.
Located in Jamestown, New York, Lutheran’s continuum of care supports an individual’s journey through life with compassion, dignity and respect.
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